Entries are now open for the 21st anniversary iteration of foodservice mentoring program Proud to Be a Chef.
Each year 32 apprentice chefs are chosen out of entries received from all over Australia to participate in the experience, which includes a four-day all expenses paid program of masterclasses, skills workshops, dining at prominent restaurants and networking opportunities with peers, industry leaders and program mentors.
Proud to Be a Chef culminates in the award of an International Culinary Scholarship valued at $7,500 presented to the standout Proud to Be a Chef finalist and tailored to their personal interests and professional goals. This year’s scholarship recipient Joel Noble is scheduled to undertake his internship at Bangkok’s Bo.Lan, while 2018 recipient Rebekah White is serving hers at David Kinch’s Manresa eatery in San Francisco.
The program focuses on tackling contemporary issues and topics including food, environmental and career sustainability, personal and business branding through social media, and how to build resilience in order to cope with the rigours of the demanding foodservice industry.
Proud to Be a Chef finalists also undertake hands-on educational trips to dairy farms, cheese factories, wineries, food markets and restaurant kitchens, and participate in masterclasses from leading industry chefs, restaurateurs and specialists who act as program mentors. Mentors for 2020 include Adrian Richardson, executive chef and owner of La Luna Bistro, and Lisa Van Zanten, executive pastry chef at Atlantic Group.
To enter, applicants must complete the online application, submit an original recipe using an Anchor Food Professionals product, and explain why they are passionate about food and cookery, where they would like their apprenticeship to take them, and what they are hoping to get out of the program.